KUALA LUMPUR — After paying a fine of RM8,000 (S$2,684), Singaporean Terry Yee has apologised to Malaysians for abusing a guard dog in Puchong,
Mr Yee said he was remorseful for what he had done to the dog.
“This apology is not something that I engineered. The fine I paid was not hefty, but I paid much more when I lost my business, reputation and livelihood after the incident,” he said at Publika Shopping Gallery in Hartamas on Tuesday (Jan 23).
“This is punishment in more ways than one. I apologise for what I did.”
Mr Yee paid a RM8,000 fine in default of eight months’ jail meted out by the Petaling Jaya magistrate’s court on Jan 8 for the offence of hurting and causing suffering to a dog. He had abused the dog called Furby at a security guardhouse in Puchong at 8.49pm on April 2 last year.
He was seen in a viral video repeatedly hitting the dog with a crash helmet. The video clip lasting nearly three minutes was widely circulated online.
Mr Yee said social media users had been relentless in their persecution of him after the video went viral.
“I have no ill feelings (towards them); one or two were hounding me…. There were even threats, some came to my shop and queried the staff. But things have cooled down.”
Mr Yee, who owns two shops in Kuala Lumpur, said some firms he had worked with for years had terminated their distributors’ agreement with his company.
“My business has suffered substantial losses and I may have to close them down. Even my family has asked me to return to Singapore.”
Mr Yee said he had reacted the way he did because the dog had been provoking him for a month.
“Everyone saw the part (in the video) where I acted out on the dog, but actually I had no ill intention.
“What I did was wrong. I lost my temper because the dog had knocked me over a couple of times when I was out on a bicycle.”
Mr Yee said even his neighbours felt that that he had been punished enough for his act.
“I was approached a couple of times (by neighbours) and some felt that it had gone on long enough. One of the residents said if it had happened to him, he would have done the same or worse.”
Mr Yee, who owns a long-haired dachshund, said he was an animal lover who preferred the company of animals to humans.
“I love dogs more than I like human beings. I have fish and birds and my daughters know this. Even my dog sleeps in my bed as we can’t be apart. It was ironic, what happened.”
Asked why he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty, Mr Yee’s lawyer Joshua Andran said his client decided to admit guilt after reading comments online about people wanting to bash his head in.
“He pleaded not guilty initially because he was taken by surprise when he was suddenly hauled to court and charged.
“Only later was he able to consider the matter properly, and he decided to change his plea after taking into account his actions, public sentiments and the need to do the right thing.”
Mr Yee was charged under Section 44(1)(a) of the Animals Act 1953 (Revised 2006) which, read together with the Animals Act (Amendment 2013), provides for a fine of up to RM50,000, a jail term not exceeding one year, or both, upon conviction. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT